Benrinnes Special Release 2024 Grand Crescendo 21 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky 55.4%

Diageo rarely let Benrinnes stand in the spotlight. The distillery is a workhorse whose spirit normally vanishes into large blends. Once in a while it is allowed to step forward alone — and then something like Grand Crescendo appears.

The expert's description

Benrinnes Special Release 2024 Grand Crescendo 21 years is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in refill casks and wine casks and bottled at 55.4 % cask strength.

The whisky first rested for eight years in refill casks and then spent thirteen years in a second maturation in American and European oak wine casks and rejuvenated casks with freshly charred ends. That is an unusually long second phase, and it explains the depth of the whisky.

Grand Crescendo is one of eight bottlings in Diageo's Special Releases 2024. Each year the range gathers single malts from the group's distilleries in unconventional cask combinations, released in limited numbers and in that one year only.

Tasting notes

Nose

Ripe dark fruit, stewed pear and caramelised apple. Beneath the fruit sit sweet spices, vanilla and a hint of cinnamon and dried fig.

Palate

Powerful and complex with dark chocolate, candied citrus and a lightly smoky edge from the freshly charred cask ends. The 55.4 % brings intensity, but the balance holds.

Finish

Long and elegant with spice, sweetness and a dry oak edge that lingers.

Specifications

Name: Benrinnes Special Release 2024 Grand Crescendo 21 years old Single Malt Scotch Whisky 55.4%
Distillery: Benrinnes
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 21 years
ABV: 55.4 %
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill casks followed by American and European wine casks and rejuvenated casks with charred ends
Bottled: 2024
Edition: Special Release 2024
EAN no.: 5000281076362

Flavour profile

Cask strength · Ripe fruit · Spicy · Dark chocolate · Wine cask

Investment potential

High: Special Releases appear in a single year and never return. A 21 year old Benrinnes from Diageo is unusual in itself, since the distillery's spirit normally goes into blends. The range has historically been among the most sought after by collectors.

Did you know?

Benrinnes sits 200 metres above sea level on the slope of Ben Rinnes, and the distillery still draws its water from springs on the same mountain. The original 1826 site was washed away by a flood in 1829.

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Frequently asked questions about Benrinnes Special Release 2024 Grand Crescendo 21 years old Single Malt Scotch Whisky 55.4%

What are Diageo's Special Releases?

An annual range of limited single malt bottlings from Diageo's distilleries. Every edition has its own theme and its own cask combinations, and the bottlings are released only once. When the year is over, they are not made again.

Is it worth the money?

It is a 21 year old cask strength malt from a distillery almost never released officially, and it belongs to a range collectors follow closely. The cask programme, with thirteen years of secondary maturation, is unusually ambitious and it shows on the palate. For anyone chasing maturity and rarity, it makes sense.

What does rejuvenated casks with charred ends mean?

The cask ends have been replaced or charred anew so the wood can give flavour again. It adds an extra dimension of toasted sweetness and smoke that differs from ordinary maturation.

Is it peated?

Not in the traditional sense. Benrinnes does not use peated malt, and the light smoky tone comes from the freshly charred cask ends rather than from peat. For genuine smoke, look towards Islay Whisky.

How should it be served?

Neat in a glass with a narrow opening, ideally after a couple of minutes' rest. At 55.4 % a few drops of water can loosen the fruit, but the whisky does not need it.

Why have I not heard of Benrinnes?

Because almost the entire production goes into blends. The distillery has never had a large official range, and most people meet it only through independent bottlers or through a Special Release like this one.

Does it work as a gift?

Yes, if the recipient knows whisky. Special Releases arrive in carefully made packaging, the year is printed on the bottle, and they are easy to recognise for anyone who follows the whisky world.